Austerity 2

Nearly 20% of Brits already living in poverty before cost-of-living crisis, report finds

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/nearly-20-of-brits-already-living-in-poverty-before-cost-of-living-crisis

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MILLIONS of people in Britain, including 3.9 million children and 1.7m pensioners, were in living in poverty even before the cost-of-living crisis hit, damning figures revealed today.

Around 20 per cent of the population, equating to 13.4m people, were living in poverty in 2020/21, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s annual poverty report found.

The report warned that there are elements in the benefits system that increase poverty, including the two-child limit, five-week wait for universal credit payments and unaffordable debt deductions.

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About 7.2m people are skipping meals, showers and heating, it found.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/nearly-20-of-brits-already-living-in-poverty-before-cost-of-living-crisis

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Ambulance workers stage another day of strike action as dispute over pay for overstretched staff shows no sign of ending

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/ambulance-staff-stage-another-day-strike-action-dispute-over-pay

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THOUSANDS of ambulance workers staged more strike action today as the bitter dispute over pay for overstretched NHS staff showed no sign of abating.

Nearly 2,000 paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff across north-west England downed tools for 12 hours from midday, their union GMB said.

The walkout, which followed industrial action by thousands of GMB, Unite and Unison ambulance employees on Monday, came ahead of what could be biggest-ever NHS strike on February 6, when all three unions are due to strike alongside nurses.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/ambulance-staff-stage-another-day-strike-action-dispute-over-pay

Continue ReadingAmbulance workers stage another day of strike action as dispute over pay for overstretched staff shows no sign of ending

Energy firms face Ofgem investigation over number of households forced onto pre-payment meters

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/energy-firms-face-ofgem-investigation-forced-prepayment-metres

Image of cash and pre-payment meter key
Image of cash and pre-payment meter key

ENERGY firms face an Ofgem investigation over a “concerning” rise in the number of struggling households being forced onto prepayment meters.

The regulator said yesterday that it would also consider taking legal action if firms are found not to have taken due care when moving customers onto the more costly meters.

Customers who fail to keep the devices topped up with money have their electricity and gas cut off.

In recent months, hundreds of thousands of households have been switched onto prepayment metres, often unwillingly, after falling behind on their bills.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/energy-firms-face-ofgem-investigation-forced-prepayment-metres

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Anti-poverty campaigners call on government to ban forced prepayment meter instillations

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https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/anti-poverty-campaigners-call-on-government-to-ban-forced-prepayment-meter-instillations

Image of cash and pre-payment meter key
Image of cash and pre-payment meter key

FUEL poverty campaigners staged “warm up” demonstrations across Britain at the weekend, calling on the government to ban the forced instillation of prepayment meters.

The government has come under increasing pressure to outlaw the imposition of these meters since an investigation by the i newspaper revealed that energy companies have secured half a million court warrants to enter people’s homes and install them since July 2021.

Citizens Advice also reported that 3.2 million people were disconnected in 2022 over their inability to top up the meters, more than in the previous 10 years combined.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps promised today to “name and shame” energy suppliers that force such meters on their customers, revealing that he has written to companies to demand that they voluntarily end the practice.

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https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/anti-poverty-campaigners-call-on-government-to-ban-forced-prepayment-meter-instillations

Continue ReadingAnti-poverty campaigners call on government to ban forced prepayment meter instillations